Mark Loiselle
Staff Writer
Whether it was joining the Communications/Sports Journalism major or meeting incredible people, my time with the Springfield College student newspaper will always have a place in my heart.
Since the 2009 fall semester, Springfield College has allowed me to succeed in more ways than one, especially in the Spirit, Mind and Body publication.
In my first meeting with The Student, I wasn’t sure how to approach things. Having little, if not any experience in the newspaper publishing field, I was very wary of joining the staff. One thing was for sure, I knew opportunities would come.
Throughout my four-year duration with the newspaper, I have covered many sports including, men’s and women’s volleyball – my pride and joy – men’s and women’s basketball, men’s soccer, softball, men’s lacrosse, and a specific, prominent swim meet. Ironically, the swim meet is actually what helped me with my writing.
Volleyball, basketball and the others are approximately two-hour occasions, but the swim event, which was authorized by Professor Marty Dobrow for a class, usually takes four to five hours. Covering a swim meet allowed me to address a process: capture some background research, watch a significant amount of time until I get the gist of the event, and then scatter afterwards to receive quotes from the top performers and coaches.
After that event, I knew I was good to go, particularly with volleyball, a sport I played in high school.
Volleyball became my destiny. As I became more comfortable with Charlie Sullivan’s team, I acknowledged what needed to be read and said.
There is one person I would like to mention in my final column, Terrence Payne. T-Payne told me in my junior year to play to my strengths in writing.
In my 2012 spring semester, Terrence found this magazine titled Volleyball Magazine. As soon as he told me about the opportunity to script a national publication, I was on the airwaves talking to the assistant editor offering to cover the 2012 Division III National Championship. I got to cover the whole tournament field and yes, the Springfield College Pride.
Through making this transition, I had a feeling I would become the beat writer for men’s and women’s volleyball clubs my senior year. And coincidentally, that dream became a reality.
Trying to gather myself through writing other sports wasn’t sitting well as volleyball was, and I appreciate Terrence as well as Jimmy Kelly for motivating and believing in my writing.
The other staff writers like Joe Brown, Gabrielle DeMarchi, as well as newspaper layout editor Alison Dombroski, have spent countless hours to make the paper what it is today.
Whatever I endure in my adventure in the journalism field, I will always have that moment when I stop and remember my time with friends, faculty and The Student newspaper. I hope you all have enjoyed my volleyball coverage, and hope that you all continue to read my writing wherever it may go.
Mark Loiselle
can also never be reached again because he is done with the newspaper forever and ever.